Attachment device for attaching slinging or lashing means

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is an attaching device for attaching stopping or lashing means to objects that are to be transported or tied down, comprising a fixing element ( 1 ), an attaching element ( 16 ), and a connecting element ( 15 ) which is rotatably mounted on a socket ( 4 ) wrapped around the fixing element ( 1 ) and connects the attaching element ( 16 ) to the fixing element ( 1 ). The connecting element ( 15 ) leans against ring flanges ( 6, 7 ) placed at the ends of the socket ( 4 ) via series of rolling bodies ( 12, 13 ) so as to allow said connecting element ( 15 ) to rotate without jerking and make it sufficiently tilt-proof.

The present application is a divisional of Ser. No. 10/499,157, filedJun. 16, 2004 now abandoned, currently pending, and claims the benefitof the prior application pursuant to 35 U.S.C. Sections 120 and 121. Thepresent application also claims the benefit of International Pat. Appl.No. PCT/DE02/04689, filed Dec. 18, 2002, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. Sections120 and 371. The benefit of PCT/DE02/04689 was also claimed in ParentAppl. Ser. No. 10/499,157.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to an attachment device for attaching slinging orlashing means to articles which are to be transported or lashed, havinga fastening element which serves for fastening the same on therespective article and is formed by a bolt, having an attachment elementfor the slinging or lashing means, and having a connecting element whichconnects the fastening element to the attachment element, is mounted,such that it can be rotated about the longitudinal axis of the fasteningelement, on a two-part bushing enclosing the fastening element over partof its length, and has its axial position on the bushing secured byannular flanges arranged at opposite ends of the bushing.

PRIOR ART

An attachment element of the abovementioned type is known from DE10013845 A1. In the case of the known device, the connecting element ismounted with a sliding fit on a bushing which comprises two parts, ofwhich the facing end surfaces butt against one another. The slidingmounting usually satisfies the requirements which are to be fulfilled.However, problems may arise if heavy articles are to be turned inaddition to being raised. In order to increase the rotatability of aconnecting element, it is known from DE 8406130.8 U1to arrange, betweenthe fastening element and the connecting element, a series ofrolling-contact bodies with the rolling-contact bodies comprising ballswhich have to be introduced into their guide path from the outside ofthe connecting element with comparatively high outlay. The use of justone series of rolling-contact bodies places narrow limits on the tiltingresistance of the connecting element in relation to the fasteningelement of this second known device. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 3,371,951 Adiscloses an attachment device in the case of which the fasteningelement, which is formed by a bolt, is retained by two bushings whichenclose the fastening element. In order to ensure the rotatability ofthe attachment element in the case of this device, the two bushings aresupported, on the one hand, against the head of the bolt, which formsthe fastening element, via an axial bearing comprising two bearing ringsand balls, and, on the other hand, on the article which is to beprovided with the attachment device, via a further axial bearing of thesame design and an intermediate ring. The third known device isunsatisfactory insofar as it is of complicated construction and therolling-contact bodies of its axial bearings are subjected to anuncontrolled level of prestressing which depends on the tighteningtorque of the bolt designed as the fastening element.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention, in the case of an attachment device of thetype in question, is to increase the relative movement capabilitybetween the fastening element and the connecting element by replacingthe sliding mounting with an easy-to-install rolling-contact mounting, ahigh level of tilting resistance of the connecting element being desiredat the same time. This object is achieved, in the case of an attachmentdevice of generic type, in that the connecting element is supported onthe bushing, in the region of the annular flanges of the bushing, via aseries of rolling-contact bodies in each case.

The attachment device according to the invention is quick and easy toassemble. The level of tilting resistance of its connecting element ishigh, on account of the use of two series of rolling-contact bodieswhich are spaced apart from one another by the greatest possibledistance, and the rotatability of the connecting element leaves nothingto be desired, even for raising heavy loads.

Further features and details of the invention can also be gathered fromthe subclaims and the following description of two embodiments of theinvention which are illustrated in the attached drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows the front view of a first attachment device,

FIG. 2 shows a section along line II-II in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 shows, partly in section, the side view of a second attachmentdevice, and

FIG. 4 shows a plan of view of the attachment device according to FIG. 3with the attachment element swung over the fastening element.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, 1 is a fastening element which is formed by a bolt andon which a bushing 4 comprising two parts 2 and 3 is mounted. The twoparts 2 and 3 overlap in the central region of the bushing 4 and areconnected to one another by a press fit in the overlapping zone. Aspring ring 5 secures the position of the bushing 4 on the fasteningelement 1.

At its opposite ends, the bushing 4 has two annular flanges 6 and 7,which merge into the cylindrical part of the bushing 4 via conicalsurfaces 8 and 9. In the region of the conical surfaces 8 and 9, twoseries of rolling-contact bodies 12 and 13 are arranged between thebushing 4 and a connecting element 10, which connects the fasteningelement to an annular attachment element 11, these series ofrolling-contact bodies, element 10, forming angular roller bearings. Theseries of rolling-contact bearings 12 and 13 are easy to install inthat, first of all, the rolling-contact bodies of the series of therolling-contact bodies 13 are positioned on the conical surface 9, theconnecting element 10 is then pushed over the bottom part 3 of thebushing 4, the rolling-contact bodies of the series of rolling-contactbodies 12 thereafter, are lined up in a row on the running surfaceprovided on the connecting element 10, and following this, the top part2 and the bottom part 3 of the bushing are pressed together. In a finalinstallation step, the fastening element 1 is forced into the bushing 4until the spring ring 5 latches into a groove 14 in the interior of thebushing 4.

In the case of the attachment device according to FIGS. 3 and 4, inwhich use is made of the same designations for parts which correspond tothe parts illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the connecting elements 15 isassembled with the fastening element 1 in the same way as has beendescribed above, so that, in this respect, you can refer to what hasalready been said. The difference between the second embodiment and thefirst embodiment described above is that the attachment element 16 ofthe second embodiment is connected in a releasable manner to theconnecting element 15. For this purpose, the connecting element 15 isprovided with a fork head 17 which has an introduction gap 18 which canbe bridged by a transverse bolt 19. The introduction gap 18, which hasan inside width W₁, is adjoined by an eyelet 20 with an inside width W₂,which corresponds at least to 1.5 times the inside width W₁ of theintroduction gap 18.

Using a connecting element 15 with a fork head 17 makes it possible tocombine the connecting element 15 with different types of attachmentelement. It is advantageous here to use attachment elements which, likethe attachment element 16 illustrated in FIGS 3 and 4 and formed by asuspension member, are provided with a flattened zone 21, of which thethickness a is smaller than the inside width W₁ of the introduction gap18.

The invention claimed is:
 1. An attachment device for attaching slingingor lashing means to articles which are to be transported or lashed, saidattachment device having a fastening element (1) for fastening saidattachment device to said articles, said fastening element formed by abolt, having an attachment element (11, 16) for the slinging or lashingmeans, and having a connecting element (10, 15) which connects thefastening element (1) to the attachment element (11, 16) such that theconnecting element is rotatable relative to the fastening element (1),on a two-part bushing (4) enclosing the fastening element (1) over partof a length of the fastening element, an axial position of theconnecting element on the two-part bushing (4) being secured by annularflanges (6, 7) arranged at opposite ends of the bushing (4), wherein theconnecting element (10, 15) is supported on the bushing (4), in a regionon each of the annular flanges (6, 7) of the bushing (4), by a series ofrolling-contact bodies (12, 13), characterized in that the series ofrolling-contact bodies (12, 13), together with the connecting element(10, 15) and the bushing (4), form angular roller bearings.
 2. Theattachment device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the twoparts (2, 3) which form the bushing (4) overlap at least partially and,in the region of their overlap, are connected to one another by a pressfit.
 3. The attachment device as claimed in claim 1, characterized inthat the attachment element (11, 16) is mounted in a pivotable manner onthe connecting element (10, 15) at a distance from the longitudinal axisof the fastening element (1).
 4. The attachment device as claimed inclaim 1, characterized in that the connecting element (15) has a forkhead (17) in which the attachment element (16) can be suspended.
 5. Theattachment device as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the forkhead (17) is provided with an eyelet (20) which adjoins an introductiongap (18), which can be bridged by a transverse bolt (19), and of whichthe inside width (W₂) is greater than the inside width (W₁) of theintroduction gap (18).
 6. The attachment device as claimed in claim 5,characterized in that the attachment element (16) is provided with aflattened zone (21), of which the thickness (a) is smaller than theinside width (W₁) of the introduction gap (18).
 7. The attachment deviceas claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the attachment element (11,16) is formed by a suspension member which can be swung over thefastening element (1).
 8. An attachment device for attaching slinging orlashing means to articles which are to be transported or lashed, saidattachment device having a fastening element (1) for fastening saidattachment device to said articles, said fastening element formed by abolt, having an attachment element (11, 16) for the slinging or lashingmeans, and having a connecting element (10, 15) which connects thefastening element (1) to the attachment element (11, 16) such that theconnecting element is rotatable relative to the fastening element (1),on a two-part bushing (4) enclosing the fastening element (1) over partof a length of the fastening element, an axial position of theconnecting element on the two-part bushing (4) being secured by annularflanges (6, 7) arranged at opposite ends of the bushing (4), wherein twoseries of rolling-contact bodies (12, 13) are mounted between theconnecting element (10, 15) and the annular flanges (6, 7) of thebushing (4), characterized in that the two series of rolling-contactbodies (12, 13), together with the connecting element (10, 15) and thebushing (4), form angular roller bearings.